Latest news with #consulates
Washington Post
2 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
New policy on visas adds to mounting scrutiny of international students in the US
New State Department guidance on visa applications is adding to scrutiny of international students that has intensified under President Donald Trump, who has leveraged control of foreign enrollment to press his demands with American colleges. In a cable sent Tuesday to U.S. embassies and consulates Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students until the department releases guidelines for increased vetting of their activity on social media. Existing appointments may be kept and will proceed under current review guidelines, the cable said, but new guidance is expected in the coming days.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
US orders pause in student visa interviews ahead of new social media vetting: reports
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed America's embassies and consulates worldwide to stop scheduling student visa interviews as US President Donald Trump 's administration considers more expansive vetting of the social media profiles of applicants. The order, laid out in a diplomatic cable on Tuesday, is the latest effort by the administration to restrict international students' entry to the US over claims that they might promote antisemitism or otherwise threaten national security. 'Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued … in the coming days,' some media outlets have cited the cable as stating. According to the cable, details of which were first reported by Politico, previously scheduled interviews can proceed. 04:21 Citing China 'activity', Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students Citing China 'activity', Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce did not confirm details from the cable during a Tuesday briefing with reporters. When asked if students should expect delays in their visa processing, she said: 'We take very seriously the process of vetting who it is that comes into the country, and we're going to continue to do that.'
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
State Department orders embassies to pause student visa appointments as it considers expanding social media vetting
The US State Department has instructed US embassies and consulates around the world to pause new student visa appointments as it develops guidance to expand 'social media screening and vetting' to all applicants for student visas, according to a diplomatic cable seen by CNN. It's the latest move from the Trump administration that could deter international students from studying at universities in the United States. The cable, issued on Tuesday morning and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, comes as the Trump administration has revoked scores of student visas and after it moved to stop foreign students from studying at Harvard University, a move that has been halted by a judge for the time being. The cable states that the State Department 'is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants.' The State Department had already called for social media vetting of some applicants, largely related to alleged antisemitism. However, an expansion of the efforts could severely slow down the overall student visa issuance process. Politico was first to report the news. The cable notes that expanded social media screening and vetting of all the applicants for such visas could have 'potentially significant implications for consular section operations, processes and resource allocations.' As a result, the consular sections – which issue visas – 'will need to take into consideration the workload requirements of each case prior to scheduling them going forward.' It instructs embassies and consulates, effective immediately, not to add 'any additional student or exchange visa…appointment capacity until further guidance is issued,' and to remove 'appointments that are available, but not taken as of the release of this cable.' Appointments that were already scheduled can still take place, the cable notes. 'Consular sections should remain focused on consular priorities including services for U.S. citizens, immigrant visas, and fraud prevention,' it states. CNN has reached out to the State Department for comment.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- General
- Bloomberg
US Orders Halt to New Student Visa Interviews, Politico Says
Trump administration is ordering US embassies and consular sections to stop scheduling interviews for student visas as it weighs requiring social media vetting for all applicants, Politico reports, citing a cable.
